Getty A former Mac Jones teammate who has experience under new Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien is a free agent target for New England
Former Alabama wide receiver and Mac Jones teammate Slade Bolden is being targeted by the New England Patriots for a workout, according to ESPN’s Mike Reiss on February 28.
While playing at Alabama from 2018 to 2021, Bolden played under recently hired New England offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien in his final collegiate season in 2021, while he was a teammate of Jones during the 2019 and 2020 seasons.
While much of the NFL’s attention is focused in Indianapolis at the combine, a note back home: Free-agent WR Slade Bolden is scheduled to work out for the Patriots.
Played at Alabama with Mac Jones, and then under Bill O’Brien. 2022 UDFA with Ravens. Healthy after sports hernia.
Bolden was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Baltimore Ravens on April 30, 2022, but never saw the field during his initial season in the league. He was placed on the injured reserve by Baltimore on August 23 and was later released on October 18.
Bolden caught his first touchdown pass with the Crimson Tide during the 2021 College Football Playoff championship game on January 11, 2021, and would catch three more during his final season in Tuscaloosa in 2021 during Alabama’s SEC Championship season.
Slade Bolden on Patriots Offensive Coordinator Bill O’Brien
Bolden told “Bama Standard” hosts Justin Riley, Marvin Constant, Steve Brown, Stephen M. Smith, and Bo Scarbrough on the January 31 edition of the podcast that O’Brien was one of his favorite coaches ever — giving some background on the interest between the Patriots and the former Alabama receiver.
“Coach O’Brien is one of my favorite coaches,” Bolden said as transcribed by Pats Pulpit. “I think O’Brien is gifted when it comes to calling plays. He is a lot better and a lot more gifted than some people believe he is. I have seen him come up with some stuff that — it’s not necessarily that it didn’t work, it’s we didn’t execute it right.”
The relationship transcends football according to Bolden. “I love him as a person, and I feel like we got really close. I liked him as a person just as much as I liked him as an offensive coordinator.”
Boston Radio Host Feels Patriots Should Do Better
Although Bolden was Jones’ roommate at Alabama, the on-field relationship isn’t one that evokes comparisons to the former LSU and current Bengals duo Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase for 98.5 The Sports Hub host Matt Dolloff.
Dolloff pointed out the Patriots’ hole at slot receiver, but also questioned if Bolden can fill it. “The Patriots have a need at slot receiver, especially if they don’t plan on re-signing Jakobi Meyers,” he wrote. “In light of that, combined with Bolden’s familiarity with Jones and O’Brien, it made too much sense for the Patriots not to at least take a look at him. Problem is, Bolden ran an unimpressive 4.66 40-yard dash at the 2022 Combine and may simply lack the requisite speed and quickness to excel at slot receiver in the NFL.”
According to Dolloff, New England would ideally aim higher. “Ideally, the Patriots aim higher at wide receiver, particularly if they want to bring in someone from Alabama or a similar system,” he wrote. “Bolden would make sense as a depth addition, but the Pats lack real impact at that position, and if they want more of it in 2023, they likely need to make a big trade or use a first-round pick.”